I extend my deepest condolences to the Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his entire family on the passing of his mother. The man has every right like any of us to be consumed with grief.
And it is heartening to hear the story of a man from extremely hard beginnings who moved himself up the social ladder, though the means by which he has achieved certain gains must continue to be thoroughly scrutinised and when found to be dubious, harshly criticized. That is just.
But he has zero credibility speaking about the need to end the stigma on mental health when his government of the last ten years has done next to nothing to achieve just that.
This is not an attack on his mother or her memory. May her soul rest in peace. This is an attack on a leader who has neglected mental health policy in this nation (like all leaders before him) and therefore cannot move me when he speaks about the need to end the stigma surrounding mental health. Doing so is part of his administration’s job, and they haven’t been doing so.
The Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital is an abomination that is underfunded, poorly managed, and ineffective. Remember the nurses’ strikes. Remember the patient they killed. Remember the Minister’s ridiculous press conference.
Remember the concrete toilets they built. Legislation to address mental illness and mental health practitioners has been lacking ever since, with zero priority given to addressing it. There are too few mental health practitioners and specialists in the public and community healthcare system. Insurance agencies offer little coverage options for mental health treatment.
There are mentally ill people walking the streets daily as vagrants with all sorts of complications due to drug abuse etc, and the state has zero solution for them except to let them be.
Yet, expanding the budget for One Nation has been recently debated. Things like that signal the preference of the administration as to what to spend money on, and the absolute absence of priority when it comes to burning social and health issues, mental illness among them.
As usual, the fight for a better approach toward mental health and mental illness treatment and management in Antigua and Barbuda is being led by advocates, volunteers, and NGOs who have stepped up to give a damn.
The elected officials whom we have crowned with honour and power, and the ability to spend our millions in tax dollars, seem to be unconcerned.
So, sorry, but I am utterly unmoved when the Prime Minister, whose national policy on mental health has been as complete a failure as every Prime Minister before him, speaks about ending the stigma. If his own lived experience with a low income mother who suffered from a mental illness has not moved him to act in this area, I don’t think anything will, frankly.
There will be many who feel this is the wrong time to criticise the Prime Minister, due to the fact that the statement being criticised was one he made during his grief and in the context of his mother’s funeral.
But we live in a democracy with a constitutional order and civil liberties. I am entitled to make my view plain as day, and my views here are reasonable and temperate.
This is not an attack on his family during their grief, nor is it an attack on his mother’s memory. This is calling bullsh*t on a national leader who has just called for an end to stigma surrounding mental health, but whose track record demonstrates a woefully inadequate effort on his part to actually do that over his tenure in office.
Jonathan Willard
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Facts
Exactly!
I agree with you 💯 percent!
This government record on mental health is abysmal as best.
It must be his grief talking!
It’s tough to lose one’s mother!
You would need to go through it to feel it..
But his government has chosen to prioritize certain spending,
Mental health is not one of them!
Money is better spent on one nation concert 😟😨 go figure!
Jonathan Willard: You couldn’t even wait a few days or weeks before voicing your usual anti-Browne, anti-Antigua hate. You are a bitter, disgusting piece of shit.
Well finally someone who is not engrossed in the hype of the weeping leader, overcome with grief. Like when the Barbuda child died and wifey was there consoling her weeping husband, only for Barbudans to realize that he wanted them off their island so he could take their land.
Just like Trump saying he will be good after his “near death” experience. Turns out he is worst than before. At least, he himself said so. This guy will get the best of Antiguans every day of the week. Like Trump he come to realize that the so-called Christianity in us makes us suckers for the crookishness in those like them.
I like the fact that he signed his name, an example that many critics should follow. Let wait and see what the PM response will be
It’s not appropriate to make personal attacks against the prime minister regarding his ability to speak on mental health based on your flawed perception of inaction in this area. While the prime minister is responsible for overseeing the government and decision making at a high level, the Ministry of Health is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in their specific area of expertise, such as mental health.
It’s important to approach criticism in a constructive and respectful manner, rather than resorting to ad hominem attacks. If there are concerns or criticism about the government’s approach to mental health, it should be directed towards the relevant ministry or government body responsible for that portfolio.
Don’t come for me, go and learn protocal before you spew nonsense.
Gide Jack, facts beside, there is no excuse to kick a man when he is at his lowest ebb. Even me sorry for him!
Everyone of us has a mother, and most of us go crazy when she dies, we expose our ugly wail just like the primal scream when taken from mother’s womb! We hide it, but he could not help himself, it had to come out!
Let him be!
Some people have no heart. I wonder if the writer had ever experienced living with someone with mental illness. Only those who experienced it knows it.
Beat the iron while it is hot, the PM concern at this time should be his reality long time ago.his pass experience should be made to be seen in his day to day living long time ago and not with words today.
Well, to be fair, activities such as concerts help to cheer people up and are one way of preventing mental health decline. Also, encouraging more unity “One nation” can possibly reduce social unrest. So, it’s not unreasonable to spend a few dollars on something like that. Maintaining an upbeat spirit in the face of great difficulties is one way that Caribbean people have made it through lots of trials and tribulations. However, I would love to see lots of other more wholesome kinds of entertainment in our society than the kinds of fetes and music that dominate these days. Also, more child and family-friendly activities are needed in communities Wild fetes help some people to be happy but cause a lot of stress for other persons. So, I agree with spending something on fun cultural activities but I wish there were other more family-friendly activities in communities etc.
As shown by the life story of the PM’s mother, poverty – lack of food (and water), housing, skills, employment etc. along with betrayal by trusted persons and institutions – can be a root cause of mental illness. So, everyone should be working towards solving those issues in society for the benefit of all. If we truly care, we should all spend dollars and time on preventing and alleviating such problems not just for ourselves but for the wider society. Even if you are comfortable, if you have some extra dollars start a small business in a community selling low cost healthy food and employ poor individuals to work for you or start a business building and selling or renting low cost housing to make a difference in the lives of the poor not just to make a dollar from rich expats. It’s easy to blame or wait for the government, but we can all make a difference if we really care.
@Stingray. I guess you’re saying the author is wrong, and the administration’s track record on improving mental health awareness and treatment is very good…? Is that what you’re saying? Or you just bex something was said against GB? Please. Y’all just mad that the truth hurts. Maybe if y’all would hold y’all leaders to account, we could get more done in this country. I’m sorry for the PM for his loss. But the author is right. He talking out side of his mouth when it comes to mental health, cause the state of affairs in ANU is atrocious.
Maybe our conscience was bothering us. Too little too late.
Never mind the crocodile tears. Focus on the economic crisis; with the lopsided economy and Gaston’s feeble leadership which are pushing many more into poverty.
We have to trick the idiots who own the discourse; if we want to usher in a new day beyond this sclerotic 18th century political system.
You’re correct by stating that this is inopportune time to be so cynical regarding the respect for the family of the deceased, including the prime minister.
We have a tendency to react to every issue without any sense of reason, rationale or alternative.
Have you ever offered your recommendations with a budget proposal as to the way to change the existing modes of operations?
Do you know that social programs require an ongoing procurement structure in order to keep them viable?
We seem to forget that we’re not a developed country where money flow like a river. We’re limited in our resources and have to find creative ways to keep our feet above the sinking sand.
Comparing the hosting of a One Nation Concert where many local companies and artists and promoters are given a stake that will inturn boost the economy to upgrading and maintaining a social program, albeit significant in our health services is being a bit unrealistic.
For your information; all of the mental institutions in 1st world countries are not owned or operated by governments. They are all privately owned with insurance companies galore fighting to gain paid policies from families and financed by large corporations for tax write-off privileges.
So when you come to the public with your arguments of disgust by the current dispensation, bring the alternative without the “blame game” as it fosters a better listening ear from people who are sensible.
Why Dave Ray don’t mind he own business
By now he should have been so much further along
@Dr. Ray
You are just a sad piece of rag.
First, when a people are suffering primarily at the hands of a greedy spiteful individual, what sympathy should they have for him?
Suddenly the crazy ass idea of an economic powerhouse suddenly becomes a non issue.
The only creative ways in Antigua and Barbuda is for the politicians to enrich themselves and make excuses.
I can’t address even a fraction of your BS, but for your information The Manhattan Psychiatric Center which you can see from the FDR and the Robert Kennedy Bridge is government owned as well as many others.
Stop writing BS. You already have no credibility.
Out and over!!!
All you people expertly do is to put blame for everything on the government without offering a solution to help the country you claim you love. At least the Prime Minister and his sister took great care of their mother and that you cannot deny. What are you doing for your mentally ill family members? Many of you are so ashamed of them…you have them roaming the streets, ignoring them as if doing so will erase their blood line from you. Just ask Mary John how hard it is to get persons to assist their own family member…and you come here with your political hateful diatribe. Sick of all of you now.
Mental health has been severely ignored throughout the Caribbean islands for generations now, so the message on mental health by this writer is dead on.
Who is to blame is a another matter in itself,but this government must do more to help the mentally challenged people in Antiguan.
Like I’ve said in the past, if you check the psychological health of the people in places like Antigua and other places where you see the increase in crime and especially violent crime, you would find that many people in those places are struggling with mental defects, both on the criminals side and the trauma that’s left behind by the crimes that are committed.
“The Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital is an abomination that is underfunded, poorly managed, and ineffective” -SAY IT AGAIN
Comments are closed.